This Virginia native takes experimental instruments to a new level and spotlights their unique sonic possibilities in the music he creates under the name of The Sound of Machines. I stumbled upon Rich Bernett while searching for Mellotron videos on YouTube. He was demonstrating an instrument he designed called the Cassettone, which uses a modified cassette tape player to playback a loop tape at specific pitches. I was intrigued and did a little more digging. My research le

The Planetarium 3 is a synthesizer-styled guitar pedal that combines a stereo reverb, a chorus, echo, and compression. The echo includes stereo modulation, and the compressor includes an external sidechain. The Planetarium excels in creating huge swirling reverbs and echos. The chorus and modulated echoes create a tape-like wobble, and the sidechain can make everything pump! Create epic cinematic soundscapes or anything else that defies the Status Quo. For more informatio

The Sparrow MIDI controller from The MIDI Maker is an awesome little controller when you need a few extra controls for your synth or app. They offer many different models and configurations, all of which are fully programmable with their own editor software. They feature 100mm travel faders and 300-degree single-turn knobs that send CC value changes. They are plug-and-play with Windows and OSX and include a 6' USB cable for connection. For more information visit: The MIDI

The Dept. 10 Amped, from Blackstar, is a 100-watt amp in a compact pedal. It turns your pedalboard and effects into a performance-ready amp. It features high-headroom output and Blackstar's patented Response control, as well as cabinet, mic, and room simulations to fine-tune your sound. Connections are easy with the included XLR, stereo jacks, or built-in Bluetooth. For more information visit: Home Page Blackstar Amplification (blackstaramps.com) Click here to buy now.

Building the perfect live rig can be a daunting task. In this month’s field guide let's discuss how to use a digital audio workstation (DAW) in your live rig. I have spent many hours experimenting with different ways to set my live rig up for a performance. We have discussed many options in this column previously, but I wanted to pick up where we left off last month and expand on the idea of a single sequencer controlling all of the other devices. Last month, we looked at